[Kobe]

Hey everyone,

I'm new here. My boyfriend suffered a concussion after a car accident that left him unconscious for an unknown amount of time about a month ago. I've noticed that since the accident he's developed body twitches and jerking movements in his sleep and sometimes even if were just laying down watching tv. My question is how worried should I be about this? Has this happened to anybody here and did it go away on its own?

[Mark in Idaho]

Kobe,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. This twitching is very common. In fact, many people who have never suffered a brain trauma have such twitching. The most common time is that point just as the person transitions from awake to asleep.

There was a post about this a couple weeks ago. I'll try to find it.

Here are my comments.

A hypnagogic jerk is an involuntary muscle spasm that occurs as a person is drifting off to sleep. The phenomenon is so named in reference to the hypnagogic state — the transitional period between wakefulness and sleep. Hypnagogic jerks, are also commonly known as hypnic jerks or sleep starts.

Hypnic Jerks - The Reason Why We Twitch Before Falling Asleep

[Bud]

My right hamstring had the same problem when laying down for a couple of years post accident but it's all gone for a couple years now.

It was another one of many symptoms I suddenly realized one day I hadn't experienced them for awhile.

Bud